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8 Lessons Assignment: The Renaissance
Completed by:
Athena Nicholas (00), Sandra Fiacco (003), and Stefanie
Palumbo (003)
CURR 335
November 15, 2013.
Professor Theodore Christou
Lesson One: Introduction to the Renaissance
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Overview:
This lesson will introduce students to the Renaissance and the various topics that will be
covered in the unit. Through video media, students will begin to explore the significance
of the Renaissance as a golden age of: discovery and scientific innovation; art and
architecture; intellect and philosophic thought; exploration, colonization and trade; and
social and political reconstruction.
Learning Goal:
-Students will engage in the study of the Renaissance from various perspectives in a
general overview, which will later be broken down and analyzed in further detail through
the remainder of the unit.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to analyse
developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform)
Materials:
Instructions for teacher:
- Cerebellum. Just the Facts: World History: The Renaissance from Discovery
Education. Full Video. 2001. http://www.discoveryeducation.ca/ [49:33 min.]
Worksheets:
-Exit slip (sheet/student)
Plans of Instruction:
Step 1: Warm Up
Time: 20 minutes
-Teachers will begin the lesson with a mind map with "the Renaissance" at the center to
preliminary assess students' background knowledge of the Renaissance.
-Teachers will encourage students to draw connections between the Renaissance and
today, based on the answers students provide.
Aim: Students are encouraged to share their ideas and background knowledge of the
Renaissance with the class.
Step 2: Discussion
Time: 50 minutes
-Play Just the Facts: World History: The Renaissance video for the class (air time is
approximately 49 min: 33 sec). (See Appendix 1.1)
Aim: Students will become familiar with the various elements involved in the study of
the Renaissance.
Step 6: Sharing/ Discussing/Teaching
Time: 5 minutes
-The teacher will provide students with an exit slip worksheet that will be handed in at
the end of the lesson.
Aim: Acting as a method of preliminary assessment, students will be provided the
opportunity to share their opinion of the topics covered in today's lesson.
Focus Question: What do you want to know about the Renaissance after watching the
video?
Lesson Two: Renaissance Art
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: Historical Perspective
Overview:
This lesson on Renaissance art aims to highlight its importance during the 16th century.
The lesson will focus on Renaissance artists and their means of expression.
Learning Goal:
-Students will be able to become familiar with Renaissance art and artists. They will
compare the works of two artists and write a develop a critical analysis of their findings.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform);
Materials:
Primary Source Documents:
-The Creation of Adam - Michelangelo (1511–1512) (See Appendix 2.2)
- Donato Donatello’s David (1425 – 1430) (See Appendix 2.3)
- Michelangelo’s David (1501 – 1054) (See Appendix 2.4)
-Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (1485 -1486) (See Appendix 2.5)
- Da Vinci’s The Last Supper (1498) (See Appendix 2.6)
Instructions for teacher:
Fishbone brainstorm (See Appendix 2.1)
PowerPoint presentation on Renaissance Art (See Appendix 2.7)
Worksheets:
Comparison Chart (See Appendix 2.8)
Plans of Instruction
Step 1: Warm up
Time: 10 minutes
-"Renaissance art" on PowerPoint.
-Ask students contribute, add their answers on each bone.
-Ask class what comes to mind when they think of art.
Aim: Create a fishbone brainstorm on the blackboard
Focus Questions: What are different ways of expressing one's self? Who are some artists
you like?
Step 2: Discussion
Time: 25 minutes
-Renaissance art was meant to express an artist's feelings on the world around them.
-Art usually focused on religious or spiritual themes.
-The Church was greatly involved in the lives of artists.
-As the society and economy developed, many individuals had the fund to support artists.
-They were known as "commissioners" or sponsors of an artist.
-Many wealthy people supported artists because their works of art represented their own
virtues, values, and beliefs.
-Furthermore, artists were hired by the city to create works of art for buildings or even to
create monuments in honour of someone significant.
-For example, Leonardo Da Vinci received large sums of money from priests and royalty.
-People began to recognize Da Vinci as an outstanding man that changed the way they
viewed the world.
-For instance, Donato Donatello's David was the first free-standing life-sized sculpture
(reference to page 20 of your textbook).
Focus Questions: What do you see in the sculpture? How does David appear to you?
-Michelangelo's David was originally meant to be displayed in a Cathedral in Florence
however; it was placed outside of the city hall, Palazzo Vecchio, to represent the city.
-David was extremely confident, masculine.
Focus Questions: How does this David differ from the Donato's David?
-Many artists focused on classics as opposed to Christianity.
-The Renaissance relied heavily on classical styles.
-For example, Sandro Botticelli painted the Birth of Venus (1485 -1486).
Focus Questions: What do you see in this painting?
-Religion main theme in this work.
-Paintings depicted human condition and challenges.
-One example is Da Vinci's The Last Supper.
Aim: Activate background knowledge
Step 3: Modeling
Time: 5 minutes
-It is a comparison activity that compares two works of art.
-I decided to compare the two Davids seen in class.
-Show slide with comparisons and read loud with class.
Aim: Demonstrate activity for the day. Facilitate activity for students.
Step 4: Guided Practice
Time: 10 minutes
-Compare the Birth of Venus and the Last Supper following the headings in the chart I
provided.
-Students will be able to work with a partner.
Aim: Students will learn how to work with a partner, with guidance.
Focus Questions: See Appendix 2.8
Step 5: Independent Activity
Time: 10 minutes
-Now students will work independently in writing their paragraph.
Focus Questions: See Appendix 2.8
Step 6: Sharing/Discussing/Teaching
Time: 10 minutes
-Ask students to share some of their comparisons as well as their ideas in their paragraph.
Aim: Gives everyone the opportunity to share his or her opinions
Focus Questions: What did you find interesting doing this activity? What conclusions can
you draw from your chart?
-Art is an excellent way to show different perspectives because it is generally subjectiveindividuals create art to express their own emotions and thoughts
-Everyone will have a different interpretation of it
-This model of historical perspective can be applied in various areas of history, not only
art
Assessment: Create an analytical paragraph using the comparison chart
Aim: Make critical conclusions and observations.
Lesson Three: Exploring Political Structure and Economy of the Italian
Renaissance
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: Continuity and Change
Overview:
In this lesson, students will explore the development of the economic and political
systems of the Italian Renaissance, with particular focus to continuity and change of both
systems. Students will discover the introduction of capitalism, growth of the merchant
class, and urbanization in the context of a few of Italy's city-states. In addition, students
will be introduced to important figures in the political world, with emphasis on Florence's
Medici family. Through the lesson, the class will analyze continuity and change in
comparison to the Middle Ages. Students will also be encouraged to draw both the
parallels and differences to present day where applicable.
Learning Goal:
-By the end of the lesson, students will be able to critically reflect on the continuity and
changes experienced from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance in terms of political and
economic structure. Moreover, students will identify how many ideas of the Renaissance
have been carried forward to modern society, giving context from their own lives.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to analyze
developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyze developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform)
Materials:
Primary sources:
-The Procession of the Magi by Benozzo Gozzoli (See Appendix 3.1)
-Charles VIII and his French troops enter Florence by Francesco Granacci (See Appendix
3.2)
-"The Circle of Governments" by Niccolo Machiavelli (See Appendix 3.3)
Instructions for teacher:
-PowerPoint presentation "Exploring Political Structure and Economy of the Italian
Renaissance" (See Appendix 3.5)
-Suggested prompt questions for teachers to ask students can be found throughout the
presentation under "notes"
Other Resources:
- Virtual tour inside the Sistine Chapel, retrieved from
http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/
-The Medici family tree, retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/empires/medici/pup/fam_tree.html
- Palazzo Vecchio. National Geographic, 2009. Retrieved from
Learn360: http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=639054
Worksheets:
-"The Circle of Governments" passage (sheet/student) (See Appendix 3.3)
-"The Circle of Governments" chart (sheet/student) (See Appendix 3.4)
Plans of Instruction:
Step 1: Warm Up
Time: 5 minutes
-Ask question to students: how would you describe continuity and change within your
own life? Have students take a few minutes to write down a few points relevant to their
own experiences of continuity and change.
-After a few minutes, take up ideas as a class together using a mind map format on the
blackboard.
-You might also want to pose the question to the class: how do you think people of the
Renaissance experienced continuity and change from the Middle Ages, given what you
know so far? You can create another mind map on the blackboard to write down
student’s responses.
Aim: For students to identify their understanding of continuity and change from their
own experiences, in comparison to continuity and change experienced by people during
the Renaissance.
Focus Questions: How would you describe continuity and change within your own life?
How do you think people of the Renaissance experienced continuity and change from the
Middle Ages, given what you know so far?
Step 2/3: Discussion/Modeling
Time: 40 minutes
-The PowerPoint presentation (See Appendix 3.5) provides teachers with resources to
base their lesson from. The presentation includes content regarding Renaissance political
and economic structure made student-friendly.
-The presentation delves into six main topics: the introduction of the city-state,
urbanization, the beginnings of modern-day capitalism, from Republic to an Oligarchic
system of government, and a brief overview of the Medici family and their lasting legacy
in Florence.
-Students are asked to note transitions between Medieval Europe and the Renaissance,
beginning with a brief outlook of the instability and fragmentation of Europe's political
and societal nature. Teachers should highlight the importance of social hierarchy in
relation to political control during the Middle Ages, provoking students to think critically
from prior knowledge about all those affected by societal norms of the time, whether
positively or negatively (for e.g. the difference between a peasant and a serf).
-The growth of city-states in Northern Italy significantly affected the way in which the
economy functioned. Teachers should pay particular attention to the introduction of the
merchant class and implications on city-state expenditure (for e.g. through capitalism, we
begin to see more finances directed toward voyages of exploration and colonization of
other parts of the world. Teachers can lead students into discussion of the benefits for the
city-state's economy). Students are asked to analyze capitalism in the context of the
Italian Renaissance in relation to capitalism experienced today. Teachers may introduce
the idea of globalization to the discussion, and how it compares today. Students will also
be able to draw connections to the historical context of current day production in Italian
economic centers, including Murano glass from Venice and fashion from Milan.
-Drawing connections to art from the previous lesson, teachers should outline the
significance of art in representing the city's prosperity. The lesson will then move into the
story of the Medici family in Florence, a well-known family that controlled the city for
several generations. Students will analyze the family's role during the Renaissance
through a look at the family tree, portraits including the Procession of the Magi (See
Appendix 3.1) and of Charles VIII and his French troops entering Florence (See
Appendix 3.2), and the "Palazzo Vecchio" video clip. Teachers may direct students in
discussing the family's long-standing legacy in Florence, and how these elements may
still be seen today (for e.g. through the art work left behind in the Palazzo Vecchio, the
secret passageways left around the city as highlighted in the video clip, etc.)
Aim: This presentation is meant to enrich students' understanding of continuity and
change regarding politics and economics of the Italian Renaissance in connection with
the Middle Ages and the years following. Teachers will use the presentation to evoke
discussion with the students.
Focus Questions: In comparison to the Middle Ages, in what ways has Italy maintained
continuity during unification? In what ways has it changed (for better or worse)? How
has the structure of politics changed from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance? Can we
draw parallels to today’s political system? In what ways can we see continuity in the
capitalist economic system today? Do you believe there was in fact a balance-of-politics?
Who appeared to benefit? Who didn’t benefit? Why is the beginning of foreign
domination in Italy of significance? Do you believe that evidence of the Medici family's
control over Florence can still be seen today?
Step 4: Guided Practice
Time: 20 minutes
-Each student will be handed a copy of Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Circle of
Governments" (c.1517) passage, found within The Portable Renaissance Reader (eds.
James Bruce Ross and Mary Martin McLaughlin), pp.263-267 (See Appendix 3.3).
-The instructor and students will read the passage together. The class will then be split
into three groups (monarchy, aristocracy, democracy) to discuss each level of
Machiavelli's suggested cycle of government.
-In those same groups, students are asked to break down Machiavelli’s circle of
government theory, applying his reasoning and their own to complete "The Circle of
Governments" chart (See Appendix 3.4).
-Groups answers from "The Circle of Governments" chart activity can be shared with the
class, so that everyone has a chance to hear each other's opinions.
Aim: Students will work with this primary source with the intent of analyzing how
government was viewed from an educated individual of the time. The passage analysis
will encourage students to critically think about the benefits and disadvantages of each
type of government, activate prior knowledge of whether these forms of government
experience a progression or decline from the Middle Ages, and make connection to
present day government.
Focus Questions: Machiavelli argues that a Republic follows a cycle of three forms of
government in its life time. Do you agree/disagree with him? Explain why.
Step 5: Independent Activity/Assessment
(To be handed in the following day)
-Students will answer the following question for homework in 2-3 paragraphs:
It has been argued that the Renaissance set the stage for modern society in many ways.
Do you think there is a long-lasting legacy of Renaissance politics and economics that
applies to us today? Provide example of similarities or differences. Answers will be
handed in the following class. Students will receive a mark out of 5.
Aim: Students will apply knowledge they've acquired on this topic during today's lesson,
as well as reflecting on the political and economic structures we see today. Students
should begin to see that many elements of today's economy and some politics can be
traced back directly to the Renaissance. This activity will assess students' ability to
outline continuity and change within these topics.
Focus Questions: It has been argued that the Renaissance set the stage for modern
society in many ways. Do you think there is a long-lasting legacy of Renaissance politics
and economics that applies to us today? Provide example of similarities or differences.
Step 6: Sharing/ Discussing/Teaching
Time: 5 minutes
-The teacher should allow students time to ask questions regarding today's lesson or
previous lessons. Teachers should find out what the students liked about the lesson, what
they want to learn more about from the lesson, and what they might need more
clarification on from the lesson.
-Groups answers from "The Circle of Governments" chart activity can be shared with the
class, so that everyone has a chance to hear each other's opinions.
Aim: Acting as a method of assessment as learning, students will be provided the
opportunity to share their opinion of the topics covered in today's lesson, including what
they learned and what they need clarification on.
Focus Questions: What did you like about this lesson? What would you like to learn more
about? Do you need any clarification from what was covered during the lesson?
Lesson Four: The Middle Class, The Family, and the Renaissance
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: Cause and Consequence
Overview:
This lesson will examine the cultural distinctions between the Renaissance man and
woman, with regards to the changing landscape of social class, redistribution of power,
and the introduction of the nuclear family unit. Focus will be made on the cause and
consequences resulting from these social distinctions.
Learning Goal:
-By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify societal representations of men
and women of the Renaissance, the reasoning for these representations, and the
implications of these representations for either gender. Students will gain a deeper
understanding of who the Renaissance was intended to benefit and whom it excluded.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to analyse
developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
-Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform)
Materials:
Primary sources:
-"The Dignity of Man" by Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola (See Appendix 4.1)
-The Chess Game (1558), by Sofonisba Anguissola (See Appendix 4.2)
Instructions for teacher:
-PowerPoint presentation "The Middle Class, The Family, and the Renaissance" (See
Appendix 4.6)
-Suggested prompt questions for teachers to ask students can be found throughout the
presentation under "notes"
Other Resources:
-Leonardo the Renaissance Man. Worldwide Academics, 1998. Retrieved
from Learn360: http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=479305
Worksheets:
-"The Dignity of Man" passage (See Appendix 4.1)
-"Did women have a Renaissance " passage (See Appendix 4.3)
-Compare and Contrast chart (See Appendix 4.4)
-Exit Ticket (See Appendix 4.5)
Plans of Instruction:
Step 1: Warm Up
Time: 5 minutes
-This activity follows a think, pair, share format. With an elbow partner, students will
discuss how the Renaissance was beneficial to some and disadvantageous to others.
- After two minutes, regroup as a class to share thoughts. Teachers may want to create a
T-chart, with those who benefited in the left column and those who didn't in the right
column.
Aim: The aim of this warm up exercise is to have students thinking about whether the
changes during the Renaissance were widespread or patchy. Students will complete a
preliminary analysis of the difference between those who appeared to benefit from the
societal changes brought forth from the Renaissance and those who didn't.
Focus Question: We know that the Renaissance brought intellect, art, and culture to the
forefront of society,but whom was this change intended for?
Step 2/3: Discussion/Modeling
Time: 30 minutes
-The attached PowerPoint presentation provides instructors and resources to base their
lesson from. The presentation includes content regarding Renaissance political and
economic structure made student-friendly. The presentation explores five main topics:
Capitalism and the rise of the middle class, the Renaissance Man, the Renaissance
Woman, the nuclear family, and children's upbringing.
-Teachers will begin the lesson by recapping the societal characteristics of Medieval
Europe,
including birth status privileges, the distribution of wealth, and serfdom. Teachers should
direct students into discussion regarding the implications of such social conditions on the
all tiers of the population (for e.g. what did serfdom imply for peasants? for land lords?).
Teachers will then contrast social conditions to the Renaissance, particularly the rise of
the patriciate (middle class) through the reorganization of wealth, and a balance-ofpolitics, as discussed in the previous lesson. Students are asked to critically reflect on
what the distribution of wealth meant for those living in the Renaissance, and whether
"sharing of wealth" was actually practiced as suggested.
-As discussed in a previous lesson, individualism brought forth an explosion in artistic
and intellectual achievement, redefining the roles of man, woman, and child. Students
will further explore this notion through the video clip on Leonardo Da Vinci, one of
many key Renaissance figures who portrayed characteristics of what is often considered
the ideal Renaissance man
(http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?SearchText=the+renaissance+man&lid=143
10000&ID=479304&autostart=1). Students will then delve deeper into the definition of
the Renaissance gentleman, and how this effected the population of the time. Students
are asked to analyse the quote "a gentleman comfortable in the battlefield and in the
ballroom" and share their ideas with the class, as well as question who it is intended to
represent.
-Students will then look at the characteristics of the ideal Renaissance woman. Teachers
should lead students into a discussion focused on the contradictions of Renaissance
society, including growing equality in education alongside women's subjective position to
men. Teachers may want to draw connections to the cult of domesticity of the midtwentieth century (for e.g. North American women as the homemaker in the 1950's).
Students are encouraged to identify the implications of gender roles given during the
Renaissance, with particular emphasis on the feminine construct. Students will have the
opportunity to infer these connections through the use of portrait (The Chess Game
(1558) by Sofonisba Anguissola).
-Teachers will touch upon the introduction of the nuclear family unit and its implications
on child-rearing during the Renaissance, including children's education. Teachers should
highlight that while both genders were expected to be knowledgeable in the classics,
music, literature, rhetoric, theatre and art, distinctions in the construct of social norms
meant that boys would go on to use acquired knowledge in the public sphere while girls
remained in silence in the private sphere.
Aim: Students will become aware of the social inequalities of the Renaissance, through
critical thinking about who the Renaissance was intended to benefit and how it
consequently excluded others. Students will challenge the definitions of the ideal
Renaissance man and woman, and question the sources and credibility of each.
(Suggested) Focus Questions: Given what you know thus far, do you think that the
Renaissance signified a sharing of wealth amongst all? Do you agree or disagree with
this statement? Explain.
-“A gentleman comfortable in the battlefield and in the ballroom". What do you think is
meant by this? What does this mean in regards to the Renaissance? Is this quote intended
to represent all men of the Renaissance?
-What sort of contradictions might we see in the definition of what is it meant to be a
Renaissance woman?
-Under these conditions, what were the implications for women? Do you think this
enhanced their significance?
-(Looking at The Cheese Game (1558) by Sofonisba Anguissola) What does this portrait
tell us about women during the Renaissance?
-(Looking at the question "Did women have a Renaissance") What do you think about
this statement? Do you think women did or did not have a Renaissance? Explain your
reasoning.
What are the causes of this outcome?
Step 4/5: Guided Practice/Independent Activity
Time: 30 minutes
-After discussion of what it means to be an ideal Renaissance man, students will be given
ten minutes to independently read over a short passage called "The Dignity of Man"
(c.1486) by Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola from The Portable Renaissance Reader,
pp.476-479. Students are asked to identify from the passage and write down what they
believe is the definition of the ideal Renaissance man.
-In groups of 2-3, students will be allotted three minutes to share their points with one
another and form one definition of the ideal Renaissance man.
-Regroup as a class to discuss some of the points students discovered from the reading.
Teachers will facilitate discussion through the use of focus questions (listed below) to
encourage students to think about how problematic the definition is.
-A similar activity will run after discussing what it means to be an ideal Renaissance
woman. Students will be given ten minutes to independently read over a short passage in
Joan Kelly-Gadol's essay "Did women have a Renaissance?", pp.184-189. Students are
asked to consider and write down Castiglione's definition of the ideal Renaissance
woman he discusses in The Courtier.
-The class will then be divided into two groups - one group will analyze and discuss The
Renaissance man in further detail while the other group will do the same for the
Renaissance woman. In a discussion circle setting, students will compare and contrast the
roles of men and women during this time and the implications that may follow using the
ideas they've discussed in their groups. Teachers can post answers directly onto the chart
in the PowerPoint presentation.
Aim: The goal of this task is for students to determine gender inequalities during the
Renaissance. Students will have a clear understanding of the causes and consequences of
societal changes from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and its contribution to gender
inequalities. Students are encouraged to challenge Renaissance definitions of "male" and
"female" and redefine each in present day context.
Focus Questions: (Defining the Renaissance Man activity) Do you think this definition is
intended for all men of the Renaissance? What implications could this have for others
who were not mentioned in the passage? Has this definition changed today? How would
you define “man” today?
Step 6: Sharing/ Discussing/Teaching
Time: 5 minutes
-Teachers will provide students with the opportunity to ask questions regarding today's
lesson or previous lessons.
-Teachers can find out what the students liked about the lesson, what they want to learn
more about from the lesson, and what they might need more clarification on from the
lesson through the use of exit tickets. Students will hand in their exit ticket at the end of
the lesson.
Aim: Acting as a method of informal assessment, students will be provided the
opportunity to share their opinion of the topics covered in today's lesson, including what
they learned and what they need clarification on.
Focus Questions: What did you like about this lesson? What didn't you like about this
lesson? What would you like to learn more about? Do you need any clarification from
what was covered during the lesson?
Assessment:
Teachers will collect exit tickets at the end of the lesson. As a form of assessment as
learning, teachers can identify students learning needs and interests.
Lesson Five: Historical Significance of the Printing Press
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: Historical Significance
Overview:
The European Renaissance of the 14th–17th centuries was a cultural movement that
profoundly affected European life. The emergence and expansion of the printing press, in
particular, contributed to major social and ideological change during this time. Students
will assess the nature of this change in order to establish the significance of Gutenberg’s
invention within the Renaissance period and the broader framework of history.
Learning Goal:
-In learning about the influence of the printing press during the Renaissance, students will
be able to further develop their understanding of historical concepts of change and
continuity, as well as the importance of historical mindedness in historical analysis.
-Students will be able to explain the historical significance of the printing press by
showing how it resulted in long-term change and by demonstrating what it reveals about
issues in contemporary life.
- Students will assess the variety, intensity and breadth of social and ideological changes
in order to establish the significance of Gutenberg’s invention within the Renaissance
period and the broader framework of history.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform);
Materials:
Primary sources:
-Gutenberg’s font (located within PowerPoint) (See Appendix 5.1)
-Gutenberg’s typecasting process (located within PowerPoint) (See Appendix 5.2)
Instructions for teacher:
-PowerPoint presentation “The Printing Press: Establishing Significance” ((See Appendix
5.6)
-Print out Article: “Six hundred years since the birth of Johannes Gutenberg—inventor
of the printing press- An assessment of his significance” (9 pages) (web link to article
found in independent activity section) (See Appendix 5.3)
Worksheets:
-Historical Significance Map (See Appendix 5.4)
-Historical Significance Chart (See Appendix 5.5)
Plans of Instruction:
Step 1: Warm Up
Time: 2 minutes
-Show YouTube Clip: “History Questions: How Did the Printing Press Change the
World” by eHow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJnkpJfAQVY
Aim: This two-minute clip provides an excellent hook into today’s discussion on the
historical significance of the printing press. In addition to providing students with great
visuals of Gutenberg’s original printing press, it briefly touches on the social, ideological
and scientific consequences of his invention and establishes connections to today’s
computer technology.
Step 2: Discussion
Time: 20 minutes
-Go over the basic guidelines for establishing historical significance (Did it result in
change? Did it reveal something?)
-Using PowerPoint presentation (See Appendix 5.6), students will receive a short lecture
on the basics of the printing press including some of the social, cultural and ideological
changes that consequently took place during the Renaissance.
(The presentation includes primary sources and interactive features geared to hold the
attention of the class and allow them to engage in the lesson in a more meaningful way)
- A “Turn the Pages” replica of Gutenberg’s bible will allow students to better visualize
this first major printed book.
Source:http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/permanent/gutenbergbible/pages/#top.
- An interactive map highlighting the global spread of the printing press.
Source:http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/permanent/gutenbergbible/history/spread/#
top
-Primary sources: Gutenberg’s font and the typecasting process he used (See Appendix
5.1 and 5.2)
Aim: Students will gain insight into the causes and consequences of the printing press in
order to assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change during the Renaissance. This
will allow them to make informed judgments regarding the historical significance of the
printing press later on in the lesson.
Step 3: Modeling
Time: 13 minutes
-Class discussion: “In 1997, Gutenberg's invention was chosen as the most important of
the second millennium by Time-Life Magazine. Two years later, the A&E Network
ranked Gutenberg the most influential person of the second millennium on their
"Biographies of the Millennium" countdown.” Allow students to voice their opinion
about this.
Aim: This activity is geared to highlight the constructed-ness of historical significance.
By identifying their own examples of historically significant people, students will better
grasp the idea that an event, person or development is only historically significant when
they can occupy a meaningful place in a narrative.
Focus Questions: Do you agree with the level of significance attributed to Gutenberg?
Who are some other innovators that you believe are more, or equally, historically
significant? Explain your reasoning.
Step 4: Guided Practice
Time: 15 minutes
-Create a significance map (See Appendix 5.4): Using pictures, icons or words have
students create a significance map that highlights changes in systems, values and beliefs
that took place as a consequence of the printing press.
-Tell them to draw an asterisk beside the changes that are still present in today’s society.
-Have students discuss their thoughts with a partner and add to their sketch.
Aim: Reinforce the idea of historical mindedness. Allow students to make connections
with their daily lives in order to further develop their understanding of the historical
concept of change and continuity and its role in establishing historical significance.
Step 5: Independent Activity
Time: 15 minutes
-Have students read the World Socialist Website article: “Six Hundred Years Since the
Birth of Johannes Gutenberg- Inventor of the Printing Press” (See Appendix 5.3)
-Students will be given a Historical Significance chart to fill out after reading the article.
(This is to be completed for homework if not finished in class) (See Appendix 5.5)
Aim: Students will receive a specific argument highlighting the historical significance of
the printing press. Students will consolidate their knowledge by individually examining
the article and noting the profundity, quantity, and durability of the resulting change. The
chart will allow students to make informed judgments regarding the significance of the
printing press within the larger picture of the Renaissance, as well as the overall
framework of history.
Step 6: Sharing/ Discussing/Teaching
Time: 5 minutes
-Go around the room while students are working on the historical significance sheet to
engage in smaller discussions with each table.
-Encourage students to voice their opinion on the historical significance of the printing
press.
-Address any remaining questions the students may have and ask them for feedback on
the lesson.
Assessment:
Historical Significance chart to be completed for homework.
Lesson Six: Opposing Views – Religion and Copernicus
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: Evidence
Overview:
This lesson outlines changes in the world during the Renaissance. It focuses on religion
and Copernicus' view of the world.
Learning Goal:
-At the end of this lesson, students will become familiar with religion and Copernican
views of the world during the 16th century. They will apply their knowledge of
Copernicus by analyzing his theory and making their own conclusions using evidence as
a backdrop.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform);
Materials:
Primary sources:
-Renaissance Italy Map, 1350-1600 (See Appendix 6.2)
- Nicolaus Copernicus "The Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres" (See Appendix 6.3)
Instructions for teacher:
PowerPoint presentation on Opposing Views - Religion and Copernicus (See Appendix
6.1)
Worksheets:
-Place mat handout (See Appendix 6.4)
-Questions (Assessment) handout (See Appendix 6.5)
Plans of Instruction
Step 1: Warm up
Time: 5 minutes
-Show cartoon and ask class to explain its meaning.
-Copernicus Cartoon - http://cartoonstock.com/
Aim: Determine student's prior knowledge
Focus Questions: Does anyone know who Copernicus is? What do you think his mother
was referring to? This cartoon will be clear at the end of our lesson today?
Step 2: Discussion
Time: 30 minutes
Aim: Activate background knowledge
-Renaissance Italy was focused on religion, the north of Italy however, relied heavily on
religion.
-It preferred a simpler version of Christianity which was truly a challenge when
compared to the Church of the Renaissance.
-This form in the North was called Christian Humanism.
-It combined Christian and classical elements.
-Focused on the use of reason.
-Thomas More was a major figure of Christian Humanism.
-Wrote Utopia in 1516 which protests politics and society of the time.
-Utopia means "no place", a perfect place that does not exist.
-He believed kings wanted to have authority and did little governing.
-Was against many laws as he saw them unethical.
Nicolaus Copernicus
-View of the world began to change during the Renaissance.
-Individuals believed that the Earth was at the centre of the universe.
-Referred to as geocentric.
-Put humans at the centre of everything.
-This was the view of the Bible.
-Copernicus would change this world view.
-He studied math, medicine, and astronomy.
-He was worried that the Church would oppose his views of the Earth and that he would
be condemned for challenging it.
-Most Catholics found his views upsetting.
-He believed that the Earth is not at the centre of the universe.
-In fact, Copernicus explained that the Sun is at the centre instead.
-This is referred to as the heliocentric model.
-His work The Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres was not published until after his death
because he feared he would be punished for expressing his views.
-Excerpt: "If one admits the motionless of the sun, and transfers the annual revolution
from the sun to the earth, there would result...backward and forward motion of the
planets." "Finally, one will be convinced that the sun itself occupies the centre of the
universe."
Focus Questions: Ask them what they think of the quotes. Show students cartoon again
and see if they are able to explain its significance
-Revisit cartoon
Focus Questions: Can someone explain its significance/meaning now?
-Copernicus Cartoon - http://cartoonstock.com/
Step 3: Modeling
Time: 5 minutes
-Using the place mat template, I will demonstrate what I would like the class to do for the
activity.
-I will demonstrate my ideas for question 1.
Aim: Demonstrate activity for the day, facilitate activity for students.
Step 4: Guided Practice
Time: 5 minutes
-Using your textbook and the PowerPoint slides, fill in the rest of the place mat.
-I will be available for help if needed.
-I will circulate and ensure everyone is on the right track.
-I will hand out a piece of tape.
Aim: To learn how to work independently, with guidance using the information provided
to them.
Focus Questions: Place mat questions.
Step 5: Independent Activity
-Continue the activity independently and complete it
Time: 5 minutes
Aim: Complete an activity independently
Focus Questions: Place mat questions.
-When you are finished the activity, post it on the blackboard with the tape that was given
to you.
Step 6: Sharing/Discussing/Teaching
Time: 20 minutes
-Now I would like everyone to get up from their seats and walk up to the blackboard.
-You must analyse your classmate's work.
Aim: Gives everyone the opportunity to share their opinions.
Focus Questions: What did you find interesting? Surprising? Was there anything you
agreed/disagreed with?
Assessment
Short answer questions (See Appendix 6.5)
Aim: Allow teacher to see if students understand lesson on Religion and Copernicus.
Lesson Seven: Machiavelli and The Prince: Engaging in the Ethical Dimension of
Renaissance Leadership
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Historical Thinking Concept: The Ethical Dimension
Overview:
One of the most influential writers of the Renaissance was Niccoló Machiavelli (14691527). Based in Florence, Machiavelli was an official in the Florentine Republic with
responsibilities in diplomatic and military affairs. He is best known for his book The
Prince (1513) which addresses his theories on how to acquire and maintain political
power. The ruthless tactics he supported has allowed Machiavelli to become a highly
controversial figure within history. Through engaging in the political ideology of
Machiavelli from an ethical perspective, students will be able to conceive of his beliefs
and values within the broader cultural movement of the European Renaissance.
Learning Goal:
-Students will be able to recognize both implicit and explicit ethical stances found in The
Prince and use his or her knowledge of the historical context to make a well-reasoned
ethical judgment about his ideology.
-When making a well-reasoned ethical judgment, students will be cautious about
imposing contemporary standards of right and wrong.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform);
Materials:
Primary source:
- Medieval Sourcebook: Niccolo Machiavelli: The Prince [excerpts], 1513 (See
Appendix 7.1)
Instructions for teacher:
-Print out worksheets
Worksheets:
- Machiavelli's The Prince Summary (See Appendix 7.2)
-Ethics of the Renaissance: Machiavelli vs. Aristotle (See Appendix 7.3)
-Ethics of the Renaissance: Machiavelli vs. Aristotle Answer sheet (See Appendix 7.4)
Plans of Instruction:
Step 1: Warm Up
Time: 5 minutes
-Begin by having students call out positions that call for leadership (E.g. sports captain,
teacher, conductor of an orchestra, mayor, president etc.) Write this down on blackboard.
-Have students call out skills they think these leaders should posses. (E.g. decisiveness,
fairness, honesty, public relations skills etc.) Write this down in a separate column.
-Next, have students call out skills, traits, or powers, which they think help a leader get
ahead or get things done (E.g. control, power of persuasion, threatening personality,
competitiveness etc.) Write this down in another column.
-Engage in class discussion.
Aim: Elicit from students the idea that the skills, trains, or powers they may value in a
leader are not necessarily the same as what the leader will use or desire to use in order to
be effective.
Focus Questions: Are some of these skills, traits, or powers the same as what was
previously called out? What are the differences between these two sections?
Step 2: Discussion
Time: 10 minutes
-Highlight for students who Machiavelli was and discuss his ideology regarding state
leadership.
-Discuss his most famous work, The Prince, and describe how and why it is an extended
analysis of how to acquire and maintain political power.
-Provide students with worksheet (See Appendix 7.2) that breaks down the books twentysix chapters into four main themes with important points for each section. (Advise
students that the information found on this sheet can be used throughout the lesson to
back up opinions)
Aim: In providing such information, students will be able to understand the historical
context surrounding the creation of The Prince and understand why Machiavelli’s
analysis of how to acquire and maintain political power was so controversial.
Step 3: Modeling
Time: 13 minutes
-Discuss how to engage in the ethical dimension of historical analysis (E.g. the difference
between implicit and explicit ethical judgments, the importance of being mindful of
historical context and being cautious to not impose contemporary standards on past
actions or beliefs).
-As a class, read excerpts from The Prince found on the worksheet. (See Appendix 7.1)
-Encourage students to highlight key words or phrases that are indicative of Machiavelli’s
ideas on the essential traits, skill and powers necessary for effective leadership of a
nation.
-Engage in class discussion.
Aim: Encourage students to further establish the historical context of Machiavelli’s
writing and use such knowledge to start making reasoned ethical judgments about his
beliefs and values.
Focus Questions: What is explicitly stated? What is implicitly suggested? (Have students
verbally explain their reasoning) Who was Machiavelli’s intended audience? What was
his purpose for writing The Prince?
Step 4: Guided Practice
Time: 15 minutes
-Using The Prince excerpts and summary of sections sheet, create a Venn diagram with a
partner that shows the following:
-Overlapping area: What the class and Machiavelli think are essential traits, skills or
powers of a leader of a nation.
-Left area: What the class looks for in a leader of a nation but Machiavelli does not.
-Right area: What Machiavelli wants in a leader of a nation but the class does not.
Aim: Demonstrate the idea that leaders and followers may differ in what they identify as
the qualities of a good leader and that these differences may result in certain ethical
implications. Remind students of the importance of historical context and caution them
from imposing contemporary standards when making ethical judgments.
Focus Question: What are the possible societal consequences of such differences?
Step 5: Independent Activity
Time: 20 minutes
-Have students work independently on worksheet that includes quotes from Machiavelli
and Aristotle. Each quote offers opposing perspectives on oppressive emotions and
actions. (See Appendix 7.3)
-Students will be asked to answer a few related questions that cater to the ethical
dimension of the topic and then finally make an ethical judgment about Machiavelli’s
ideology. (See Appendix 7.4)
Aim: Consolidate knowledge on Machiavelli and The Prince from an ethical perspective.
Step 6: Sharing/ Discussing/Teaching
Time: 7 minutes
-Take up part one of the worksheet as a class.
-Address any questions or concerns.
Assessment:
-Part two of the Ethics of the Renaissance: Machiavelli vs. Aristotle worksheet is to be
completed for homework: “To some Machiavelli is a conscious preacher of evil and a
diabolic figure who unleashed the demons in the world of politics. To others, including
some political scientists, he is admired as tough-minded realist and the pioneer of valuefree political science. What is your opinion? Using examples from any of today’s
handouts make an ethical judgment about Machiavelli’s ideology. (1-2 paragraphs)”
Clearly stated opinion: 1 mark
Two main points to back up opinion: 2 marks
Use of supporting examples: 4 marks
Total: 7 marks.
Lesson Eight: Unit Test
Course: World History: The West and the World, (CHY4U) Grade 12.
Overview:
This full period will be used for assessing the students on their knowledge of the
Renaissance in the Unit Test.
Learning Goal:
-Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the Renaissance by completing the
Unit Test.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of change is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the historical concept of continuity is used to
analyse developments in the West and throughout the world since the sixteenth century;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance and use of chronology and cause and
effect in historical analyses of developments in the West and throughout the world since
the sixteenth century.
Specific Expectations
Change in History
-Assess the variety, intensity, and breadth of change that has taken place from the
sixteenth century to the present (e.g., developments in religion, changing views of the
universe, technological advances, demographic changes, medical discoveries, social
reform);
Materials:
Instructions for teacher: Distribution of tests
Worksheets: (See Appendix 8.1)
Assessment:
Unit Test
Time: 70 minutes
Appendix
2.1 Fishbone Brainstorm
Kathy Ellis et al., Stratégies d'enseignement de la maternelle à la 12ème année (Ontario:
Ontario Modern Language Teacher's Association, 2005-2006), 15. Modified from: Stratégies d'enseignement de la maternelle à la 12ème année
2.2 The Creation of Adam - Michelangelo (1511–1512)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=creation+of+adam&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei
=rrx7UsHJOqamygGY9oHICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#fa
crc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=pwsRUPxei17AWM%3A%3BlTmODcLE4buuM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F_vTyyBvtFvaE%252
FTQYg7w3glmI%252FAAAAAAAAARA%252FfcvacpZq9Vk%252Fs1600%252Fcrea
tion%252Bof%252Badam%252Bmichelangelo.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdailypo
emsandpaintings.blogspot.com%252F2010%252F12%252Fcreation-of-adam-fromsistine-chapel.html%3B600%3B397
2.3 Donato Donatello’s David (1425 – 1430)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=creation+of+adam&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rr
x7UsHJOqamygGY9oHICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=donatello's
+david&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=tFEXau-­‐
LTUAA8M%3A%3BoBXbYE6o3ebpOM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org
%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252Ff%252Ff0%252FDonatello_-­‐_David_-­‐
_Floren%2525C3%2525A7a.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2
52Fwiki%252FFile%253ADonatello_-­‐_David_-­‐
_Floren%2525C3%2525A7a.jpg%3B1066%3B1719 2.4 Michelangelo’s David (1501 – 1054)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=creation+of+adam&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rr
x7UsHJOqamygGY9oHICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=michelange
los%20david&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=WXWigWGLZyb8WM%3A%3B0Nvbu4V
uH9eQ2M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fitalianhours.files.wordpress.com%252F2011%25
2F05%252Fmichelangelos-­‐david-­‐galleria-­‐
dellaccademia.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fitalianhours.wordpress.com%252Fcategor
y%252Funcategorized%252F%3B1285%3B1920 2.5 Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (1485 -1486)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=creation+of+adam&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=r
rx7UsHJOqamygGY9oHICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=birth%2
0of%20venus&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=y6plq-­‐2wB-­‐
BFUM%3A%3BaOMDQiLDLndmFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fgood-­‐
wallpapers.com%252Fwallpapers%252F14265%252FBotticelli%252C%252520Sandro%
252520The%252520Birth%252520Of%252520Venus%252C%252520C.%2525201485
%252520%252C%252520Florence%252C%252520Ufizzi.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%25
2Fgood-­‐wallpapers.com%252Fart%252F14265%3B1680%3B1050
2.6 Da Vinci’s The Last Supper (1498)
https://www.google.ca/search?q=creation+of+adam&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rr
x7UsHJOqamygGY9oHICA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=the+last+su
pper&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=DFMAgAsYg8OFCM%3A%3BSuJJ0Avgr8qmGM
%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-­‐Jr_2CN-­‐Vd-­‐
s%252FTbCKheCROGI%252FAAAAAAAAAKY%252Fe-­‐
jDM2m1gG8%252Fs1600%252FThe-­‐Last-­‐
Supper.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thesacredpage.com%252F2011%252F04%
252Fhallel-­‐psalms-­‐and-­‐last-­‐supper.html%3B909%3B481 2.7 PowerPoint
Additional Resources :
2.8 http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/lesson_compare.pdf
Renaissance Art Chart
Using the table below, compare two works of art. To take your knowledge further,
use the back of this sheet to write a short paragraph, connecting your ideas of
both works together.
/5
2.9 Religion
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=religion&tbm=isch&imgdii=_
2.10 Giving Money
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=giving+money&tbm=isch&imgdii=_ 3.1. Benozzo Gozzoli (1459-60), The Procession of the Magi, fresco located in
Chapel of the Magi, Florence, Italy. Retrieved from http://www.palazzomedici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?id_scheda=228
3.2. Francesco Granacci (November 17, 1494), Charles VIII and his French troops
enter Florence, Ufizzi, Florence. Retrieved
from http://www.kingsacademy.com/mhodges/02_The-West-to-1900/08_TheRenaissance/08a_Politics-of-Renaissance-Italy.htm
3.3. Niccolo Machiavelli (c.1517), "The Circle of Governments", in The Portable
Renaissance Reader, eds. James Bruce Ross and Mary Martin McLaughlin. (New York:
Penguin Books, 1977), pp.263-267.
3.4. "The Circle of Governments" chart
Name:__________________
Machiavelli's
cycle for all
Republics
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Democracy
The Good
The Bad
In Renaissance
Italy, does this
government
experience
continuity or
change from
previous history?
Explain.
Does this form of
government experiences
progress, status, or
decline today? Explain.
3.5 PowerPoint Presentation Additional Sources: 3.6 Additional Sources
3.6
-Map of Italy
http://www.agbumds.org/apps/download/2ucjeNwnfrTKmmJZUZCm19L8jIlSLbarFNHf
B9STqnNAdSPi.pdf/Renaissance%20Italy%20-%201409_1500.pdf
-Venetian Murano glass http://www.pad-fairs.com/paris/blogs/murano-maillol/
-Milan armour
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/112128?search_no=1&index=7
-Medici family tree http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/medici.html
-Portraits of Cosimo and Lorenzo De Medici
http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/Montages/Firenze/Medici
%201.htm
-Map of Florence http://www.kingsacademy.com/mhodges/02_The-West-to1900/08_The-Renaissance/08a_Politics-of-Renaissance-Italy.htm
4.1 Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola (c.1486), "The Dignity of Man", in The Portable
Renaissance Reader, eds. James Bruce Ross and Mary Martin McLaughlin. (New
York: Penguin Books, 1977), pp.476-479.
4.2. Sofonisba Anguissola (1558), The Chess Game, oil on canvas, retrieved from
https://www.antiquesjournal.com/Pages04/Monthly_pages/march07/ren.html
4.3. Joan Kelly-Gadol, "Did women have a Renaissance?", in Becoming Visible: Women
in European History, eds. Renate Bridenthai and Clandia Koonz. ( Houghton Mifflin Co,
1977), pp.174-201.
4.4. Compare and Contrast Chart
Name:____________________________
The Renaissance Man
Similarities
Differences
Consequences
The Renaissance Woman
4.5. Exit Ticket
Name:_________________________
What did you like about this lesson?
What didn't you like about this lesson?
What would you like to learn more about?
Do you need any clarification from what was covered during the lesson?
4.6.
PowerPoint Presentation
5.1 Gutenberg’s Font. Harry Ransom Center: Gutenberg Bible Primary Source Education Module
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/education/modules Gutenberg’s font
Harry Ransom Center: Gutenberg Bible Primary Source Education Module
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/education/modules
5.2 Gutenberg’s Typecasting Process: B-­‐42 Blackletter type. Source: Dale Guild Type Foundry. http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/permanent/gutenbergbible/process/ 5.3 World Socialist Website article: “Six Hundred Years Since the Birth of Johannes
Gutenberg- Inventor of the Printing Press” by Daniel Woreck and Parwini Zora (Jan 3,
2001). http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2001/01/gute-j03.html
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Six hundred years since the birth of
Johannes Gutenberg—inventor of the
printing press
An assessment of his significance
By Daniel Woreck and Parwini Zora 3 January 2001
“The whole world admits unhesitatingly; and there can be no doubt
about this, that Gutenberg's invention is the incomparably greatest
event in the history of the world”—Mark Twain
Recently an American team researching world history over the last
centuries declared Johannes Gutenberg to be the “man of the
millennium”. In their statement they insisted that with his invention of
the movable letter press, Gutenberg had established a vital
precondition for huge changes in socio-economic, political and
cultural fields which followed in succeeding centuries.
There is a deficit of reliable information about the life of Gutenberg;
many aspects of his own biography either remain blank, are the
subject of speculation or still under research. Nevertheless the
question can and should be posed: who was this man and what is the
significance of his invention?
There can be no doubt that the printing press has had an enormous
impact on the development of human communication and therefore
human history. Many articles have been written about him in the
international press to coincide with the six hundredth anniversary of
his birth—coming together as it does with the ushering in of a new
millennium. Despite somewhat exaggerated attempts to depict
Gutenberg as the man of the second millennium, one can reasonably
describe him as “one among many” who made a huge contribution to
human progress.
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In its early days, printing was known as the German art or “Schwarze
Kunst”. It is misleading, however, to depict Johannes Gutenberg
simply as the inventor of printing. Printing with the aid of engraved
wooden blocks had already been practised in Far Eastern countries
such as China, Japan and Korea from the eighth and ninth centuries.
Wood block printing only appeared in Europe in the fourteenth
century. The technique was arduous and time consuming, with every
individual block having to be carved by hand. The technical revolution
inaugurated by Gutenberg involved the development of reusable
movable type—the basic principle of which survived well into the
twentieth century. In ths respect he justifiably deserves his title as the
“the father of printing”.
Inventors and their inventions have always fascinated human beings
throughout history, but the significance of the invention of the
movable letter press can be only understood if one becomes familiar
with the life and times of the inventor. Gutenberg's life spanned much
of the fifteenth century—a period bridging the end of the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance, an era of profound social transformation. His
own life and character were forged in a period of the decay of the old
feudal order and the emergence of pre-bourgeois society based on
commodity-money relationships.
Centuries of a relative standstill in terms of human development were
finally coming to an end. New technologies were coming into being or
had been imported into Europe from other countries and bygone
civilisations. Already in the thirteenth century those returning from the
Holy Crusades brought back with them a wealth of knowledge from
the Greeks and Romans, lost to educated Europe since the downfall
of the Roman Empire. The discovery of gun powder, the compass
and the water wheel, paper production, the clock and developments
in medicine, astronomy and mathematics, together with the
emergence of universities all over Europe, opened up a new chapter
in human history.
All of these advances, together with developments in navigation,
broke apart old geographical limitations. Following the example of
Henry of Portugal (Henry the Navigator), and Columbus's discovery
of America in 1492, European navigators began circumnavigating the
globe. An expansion took place—mainly from Portugal, Spain and
Western Europe—into Africa and the New World. The discovery of
“new worlds” and “new peoples” was the by-product of the efforts by
mercantile capital to extend trade across the oceans. The exchange
and comparison of information, both in the form of maps and printed
books, made the globe comprehensible as a resource to be exploited.
During the period of the late Middle Ages the Roman Catholic Church
was the biggest single landowner in Europe. In alliance with the
feudal aristocracy it represented the most powerful bastion of
resistance to change. Its religious doctrine influenced all walks of life
and every branch of learning was dominated by the clergy. Students
came mostly from the feudal aristocracy and many studied to become
members of the priesthood. Much of the power of the Church was
based on its ability to enforce the use of Latin as the language of
worship.
The invention of movable type press, which made possible the mass
printing of the Bible, shook the foundations of the Church. For the first
time masses of people were stimulated by printed text and became
aware that Jesus Christ was not wealthy, but rather a simple man.
New interpretations of the Bible served, above all, the interests of the
new merchant class. Old boundaries and divisions—differences of
caste and race that divided the masses and cemented the rule of
powerful regional kings in the old feudal system—hindered the
emerging bourgeoisie. New interpretations of the Bible became an
important instrument for breaking the monopoly of the Church and
monarchy and enabling the merchants to realise their goal of a
powerful nation-state as opposed to dozens of regional fiefdoms.
Fearing growing unrest and opposition to Church authorities amongst
the masses, the Church had to re-invent its own regulations and
codes of law to survive the upheavals. New lines were added to its
own interpretation of the Bible stating: “To possess more money than
one needs is a sin”—a clear swipe by the Church and its allies
against the merchant class and its popularised ideals.
It was a crime to translate the Bible. “In 1521, William Tyndale, an
Oxford scholar, began to translate the Bible into English. He did so
because he was shocked to find that the people of England were
scripturally illiterate. Tyndale translated the Bible into English, printed
copies of his version at Antwerp, and illegally smuggled the Bibles
into England. In 1535, he was betrayed by a fellow Englishman and
was burnt at the stake. His last words, reportedly, were “Lord, open
the king of England's eyes!”
The single greatest challenge to the hegemony of the Catholic
Church was initiated in Germany at the beginning of sixteenth century
by Martin Luther, whose publication of the Bible in the German
language initiated what was to become later known as the Protestant
Reformation. During the Middle Ages illiteracy was the norm in
Europe; religious propaganda for the masses had been largely
communicated through the spoken word and images. Luther's
powerful challenge to the monopoly of the Catholic Church came in
the form of books—notably Bibles and prayer books in vernacular
(non-Latin) languages.
The shift from a religious focus and the worship of god to other, more
earthly horizons created a new demand for printed matter. The rise of
the university and libraries available to scholars filled the growing
demand for books, including those of a secular nature. An
increasingly literate public was able to confront the emerging fields of
science as a whole. The rise of science finally sounded the death bell
for the supremacy of the Church.
Despite the demand for knowledge, created by the rise of the
universities, the technology to further motivate this process was still in
a primitive stage. Elizabeth Eisenstein (a researcher and writer on the
Middle Ages as well as printing) argues that this was one of the
reasons for the eclipse of the early “Italian renaissance”. Though the
universities remained, “the original burst of scholarship could not be
maintained because the communication system was inadequate to
the task” (Elizabeth Eisenstein, The Printing Press as an Agent of
Change, 2 vols.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979).
It is within this context that the significance of Gutenberg's invention
of the printing press must be seen. It created the sole base for the
circulation of the vast knowledge of the late golden renaissance. The
printed book became the means of establishing the vernacular
language as a medium for understanding literary texts, which
themselves were to play such a major role in the democratic
revolutions of later centuries (see note below).
The life of Johannes Gutenberg
Although the exact year of Gutenberg's birth is not known, it is
estimated he was born around the year 1400. He was the son of a
merchant in one of the largest towns in Germany—Mainz, a town
renowned for its wine with a population of over 6,000 and residence
of an elector, one of the mightiest princes of the Church in Germany.
Johannes Gutenberg was the third of three children. His real name
was Johannes Gensfleish, but he encountered some problems with
his surname, which translates into English as “goose-flesh”. He
adopted the name of the area where his family lived, “Zum
Gutenberg”. In his youth he was educated in Latin by the clergy, and
without his training in Latin his later work may well have proved
impossible.
In the early decades of the fifteenth century Mainz, lying on the River
Rhine, was a significant centre for trade. The town had 40 churches
soaring to the skies, mocking the mere mortals forced to eke out their
existence in the streets below. Gutenberg lived there until about
1428, learning the goldsmith craft and working for his father. The
years 1428-34 are unwritten pages in his biography. It is not clear
where he lived during this period, however records say that from
1434 until 1444 he lived in Strasbourg—possibly in a sort of exile
imposed by the Mainz town authorities for tax irregularities. It was in
Strasbourg that he devoted his time, talents and material means to
make the necessary preparations for the printing of the Bible.
“He trained under his father in metal working and spent some time in
Strasbourg perfecting his skills in jewel making, gem cutting and a
variety of other crafts. Although he found little success in making
souvenirs and trinkets for religious pilgrims; one item in his line did
bring some profit and spurred the printing idea.
“Gutenberg cast a metal stamp for printing indulgences, (those
Church contracts that Martin Luther hated so much). There was more
of a profit motive in the business than any religious calling. If one
could make money stamping out little scraps of paper, what could be
made by taking on the ‘big job'—the whole Bible itself. As early as the
1430s, he was working on an idea for a printing press” (Frank
Granger, Gutenberg—The Most Important Man of the Millennium
http://teched.edtl.vt.edu/gcc/HTML/PrintingsPast/GutenbergBible.html
In one of the most extraordinary ironies of history, Gutenburg's efforts
to make his fortune by popularising the Bible were to play a decisive
role in the undermining of the influence of the organised church.
Biographies of Gutenberg note his bitter disputes with his business
partner, a man named Fust who had invested money in Gutenberg's
work and shared the rights to Gutenberg's print shop. Fust was a
wealthy German merchant who, like all merchants, was looking for a
healthy return on his investment. While Gutenberg was struggling to
develop a printing machine which was cheaper, simpler, faster and
more reliable, Fust demanded concrete results and was concerned
that his outlay of finance was misplaced. Although Gutenberg and
Fust belonged to the same new-merchant class, Gutenberg was
driven by the spirit of innovation (most probably with the intention of
earning more money) and this was sufficient to cause friction
between the two.
In 1448, soon after his return to Mainz, Gutenberg borrowed 150
gulden from Johannes Fust—at that time a sum equivalent to five
years' income of an average peasant. Once again in 1450 he
borrowed a further 800 gulden from Fust—equal to the cost of
building 10 peasant houses out of stone. With this capital Gutenberg
had the necessary means to realise his invention and began melting
the letters for printing. However, Fust became increasingly impatient
as Gutenberg's experiments went on for years without discernible
results. He was forced to take credit from Fust for a third time in
1452, once again a sum of 800 gulden.
Finally, in the year of 1456, Gutenberg printed his first Bible. Even
before the Bible was made available to the public, Fust, encouraged
by his son-in-law Peter Schöfer—the third partner of the print shop—
demanded that Gutenberg repay his credits with 6 percent interest.
The debt at this time amounted to 2,026 gulden—enough to finance
the construction of an entire street in Mainz. Gutenberg sought to
defend himself in the courts, lost the case and was forced to give up
the print shop, including his invention, to Fust. Fust made a fortune as
sales of the Bible soared, but not a penny went to Gutenberg.
In the final period of his life Gutenberg experienced great hardship.
His sister and brother passed away and he became the last surviving
member of his family. After losing his print shop he lived in poverty
until 1465, when he finally received some support by the city of
Mainz, which, according to town reports, allocated him annually 2,180
litres of grain, wine and a quantity of cloth for his “personal use”.
Gutenberg researchers believe that he passed away in Mainz at the
age of 68 in February 1468. Today his remains rest beneath the
Franziskus church in Mainz.
Gutenberg's Bible
Gutenberg's Bible was also known as the 42-line Bible, referring to
the number of lines on each page of the printed book. The Bible
numbered 1,282 pages in all, and was the first book to utilise
movable type printing. This was a system in which pieces of type (a
series of blocks each bearing a single letter on its surface) could be
assembled and reused in multiple combination to print a variety of
texts. It was printed on a hand press, in which ink was rolled over the
raised surfaces of hand-set letters held together within a wooden
form. The form was then pressed against a sheet of paper,
successfully printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.
When the Bible was finally published as a printed book in the year
1456 the overwhelming majority of European people were illiterate. At
the end of the fourteenth century in northern Germany only 5 percent
of the population could read. But the emergence of the new medium
would have immediate consequences. By 1500 almost 40,000
editions of the Bible had been printed throughout Europe. Within just
three decades this new technology had spread all over Europe. Only
a handful of innovations can claim to have had such a rapid and farreaching influence in human history.
Gutenberg's original Bible, written in Latin and printed in a very thick
rich black ink, still remains vividly legible even after the passing of
many centuries. Gutenberg printed nearly 180 copies of his Bible and
it was an immediate bestseller. Only 49 copies of the original print-run
remain in existence. They are to be found in the British Library in
London, the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the Library of Congress
in Washington DC, the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, and in the
possession of the German state of Niedersachsen. At a recent
auction one of the Gutenberg Bibles changed hands for $2.4 million.
(The Gutenberg Bible is also accessible in digital form at
http://www.gutenbergdigital.de/.)
Nearly 500 years have elapsed since the invention of the movable
type printing machine. Since then the printing industry has gone
through enormous technological advancements. No observer can fail
to be amazed at the speed, power and capacity of the new digital and
computer-controlled print machines on exhibit at the “Drupa'' (the
biggest printing and paper exhibition held once every four years in
Düsseldorf, Germany).
The recent development of Internet technology has led a number of
experts to predict the end of “Gutenberg's Galaxy”. In their view, rapid
developments in communication will put an end to printed material.
But evidence indicates that the development and popularising of
technologies where books are available on CD-ROM or directly on
the web as “books online” have not replaced printed books, but
instead function as an important supplement to reading as a whole.
We can therefore anticipate that the world will be able to celebrate
the anniversary of the birth of Johannes Gutenberg for many years to
come.
Note:
At the turn of the nineteenth century the outstanding German poet
Fredrich Schiller wrote: “It is remarkable what a huge role the art of
printing and publicity as a whole played in the rebellion in the
Netherlands. Through a printed organ a single hothead could speak
to millions” (Schiller's History of the Downfall of the Netherlands).
Background literature:
1. Georg Hermanowski , Johannes Gutenberg, sein Leben und sein
Werk, München, 1970
2. Albert Kapr, Johannes Gutenberg, Persönlichkeit und Leistung,
Leipzig, 1986
3. Christopher Keep, Tim McLaughlin, Johannes Gutenberg and the
Printed Book
5. Jay Rogers, The Book That Changed History
6. Manfred Aull, Herbert Bühler, Willi Huth, W. Westlinning, Lehr- und
Arbeitsbuch -Grundstufe der Druckindustrie,Technologie für
Auszubildende, 1996
7. Helmut Teschner, Offset Druck Technik, Fellbach, 1989
5.4 Significance Map Using pictures, icons or words create a significance map highlighting the changes in systems, values and beliefs that took place as a consequence of the printing press. Draw an asterisk beside the changes that are still present in today’s society. Discuss with a partner and add to your sketch. Emergence of the Printing Press 5.5 Historical Significance Chart News in Review. CBC Learning. newsinreview.cbclearning.ca Power Point 5.6
6.1 PowerPoint
6.2 Renaissance Italy Map, 1350-1600 - http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11457
6.3 Nicolaus Copernicus, "The Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," in The Portable
Renaissance Reader, ed. James Bruce Ross and Mary Martin McLaughlin. (New York:
Penguin Books, 1977), 592.
6.4
6.5
Take Home Assignment:
Analysis Questions on Copernicus' The Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres
Answer the following questions in full sentences. Be sure to provide examples from the
textbook and the PowerPoint lesson to support your work.
/10
1.Who do you think Copernicus wrote his work for?
2. Why do you think he waited until after his death to have his work published?
3. What was happening in Europe when Copernicus wrote his book?
4. Why do you think the Church's world views were so strict?
5. If you were Copernicus, would you have published your work right away or would you
have waited until after your death to release it?
6.6 Copernicus Cartoon
http://cartoonstock.com/ 6.7 Kathy Ellis et al., Stratégies d'enseignement de la maternelle à la 12ème année
(Ontario: Ontario Modern Language Teacher's Association, 2005-2006).
6.8 Jonathan W. Zophy, A Short History of Renaissance and Reformation Europe:
Dances over Fire and Water (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009), 303 304.
6.9 Globe
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667
6.10 Religion
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=religion&tbm=isch 6.11 Thomas Moore
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=thomas+moore&tbm=isch&facrc=_&i
mgdii=_&imgrc=M94pZ1hfULITVM%3A%3BvH3CyrsHzFsI6M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252
Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252Fd%252Fd2%252FHans_Ho
lbein%252C_the_Younger_-­‐_Sir_Thomas_More_-­‐
_Google_Art_Project.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FT
homas_More%3B4667%3B5807 6. 12 Geocentric Model
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=geocentric+model&tbm=isch&facrc=_
&imgdii=_&imgrc=XTjyrhFwfZDCdM%3A%3BQsA_EQB20PGsVM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%
252Fwww.redorbit.com%252Fmedia%252Fuploads%252F2004%252F10%252F6_e1845f
d7cbce79e3af2bb1c39d6ffe632.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.redorbit.com%252
Feducation%252Freference_library%252Fspace_1%252Funiverse%252F2574692%252Fg
eocentric_model%252F%3B600%3B450 6.13
Nicolaus
Copernicus
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=nicolaus+copernicus&tbm=isch&facr
c=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=qDsSufMi1MucaM%3A%3Bf4i7CiM7rLtKAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F
%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252Fthumb%252Ff%252
Ff2%252FNikolaus_Kopernikus.jpg%252F514px-­‐
Nikolaus_Kopernikus.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252F
Nicolaus_Copernicus%3B514%3B599 6.14 Heliocentric Model
https://www.google.ca/search?q=globe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HLuCUpWWN
OHN2wW5-­‐
4DABA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#q=heliocentric+model&tbm=isch&facrc
=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=TfSQj9Hk-­‐
cP0XM%3A%3BV9ZhJaHU6kV8YM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcsep10.phys.utk.edu%25
2Fastr161%252Flect%252Fretrograde%252Fcopernicus.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F
csep10.phys.utk.edu%252Fastr161%252Flect%252Fretrograde%252Fcopernican.html%3
B399%3B381 7.1 Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, ed. W. K. Marriott. London: J. M. Dent and Sons,
1908, pp. 117-118, 129-131. Concerning Things for Which Men, and Especially Princes, are Blamed It remains now to see what ought to be the rules of conduct for a prince toward
subject and friends. And as I know that many have written on this point, I
expect I shall be considered presumptuous in mentioning it again, especially as
in discussing it I shall depart from the methods of other people. But it being my
intention to write a thing which shall be useful to him to apprehends it, it
appears to me more appropriate to follow up the real truth of a matter than the
imagination of it; for many have pictured republics and principalities which in
fact have never been known or seen, because how one lives is so far distant from
how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be
done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act
entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among
so much that is evil.
Hence, it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do
wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity. Therefore, putting on
one side imaginary things concerning a prince, and discussing those which are
real, I say that all men when they are spoken of, and chiefly princes for being
more highly placed, are remarkable for some of those qualities which bring them
either blame or praise; and thus it is that one is reputed liberal, another
miserly...; one is reputed generous, one rapacious; one cruel, one compassionate;
one faithless, another faithful.... And I know that every one will confess that it
would be most praiseworthy in a prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are
considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed,
for human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be sufficiently
prudent that he may know how to avoid the reproach of those vices which would
lose him his state...
Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether it is Better to be Loved than Feared Upon this a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared or feared
than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is
difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved,
when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in
general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as
long as you successed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood,
property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but
when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely
on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships
that are obtained by payments, and not by nobility or greatness of mind, may
indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied
upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is
feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness
of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserved
you by a dread of punishment which never fails.
Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win
love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is
not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his
citizens and subjects and from their women.
7.2 Machiavelli's The Prince http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/p/the-prince/book-summary
©2013 Cliffs Notes HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOUR
The types of principalities Machiavelli lists four types of principalities: -­‐Hereditary principalities, which are inherited by the ruler -­‐Mixed principalities, territories that annexed to the ruler's existing territories -­‐New principalities, which may be acquired by several methods: by one's own power, by the power of others, by criminal acts or extreme cruelty, or by the will of the people (civic principalities) -­‐Ecclesiastical principalities, namely the Papal States belonging to the Catholic church The types of armies A prince must always pay close attention to military affairs if he wants to remain in power. Machiavelli lists four types of armies: -­‐Mercenaries or hired soldiers, which are dangerous and unreliable -­‐Auxiliaries, troops that are loaned to you by other ruler also dangerous and unreliable -­‐Native troops, composed of one's own citizens or subjects—by far the most desirable kind -­‐Mixed troops, a combination of native troops and mercenaries or auxiliaries—still less desirable than a completely native army The character and behavior of the prince Machiavelli recommends the following character and behavior for princes: -­‐It is better to be stingy than generous. -­‐It is better to be cruel than merciful. -­‐It is better to break promises if keeping them would be against one's interests. -­‐Princes must avoid making themselves hated and despised; the goodwill of the people is a better defense than any fortress. -­‐Princes should undertake great projects to enhance their reputation. -­‐Princes should choose wise advisors and avoid flatterers. Italy's political situation Machiavelli outlines and recommends the following: -­‐The rulers of Italy have lost their states by ignoring the political and military principles Machiavelli enumerates. -­‐Fortune controls half of human affairs, but free will controls the rest, leaving the prince free to act. However, few princes can adapt their actions to the times. -­‐The final chapter is an exhortation to the Medici family to follow Machiavelli's principles and thereby free Italy from foreign domination. 7.3 Ethics of the Renaissance: Machiavelli vs. Aristotle Ethics of the Renaissance Alice C. Linsley Sunday, May 12, 2013 http://justgreatthought.blogspot.ca/2013/05/ethics-­‐of-­‐renaissance.html Machiavelli: [It is not necessary for a prince to have the qualities of honestly, kindness, loyalty, etc.], “but it is necessary to seem to have them…useful it is to seem compassionate, trustworthy, humane, endowed with integrity, religious, and to be such, but to be in such a condition, with one’s spirit so constructed, that, when you need to not possess these qualities, you are prepared and know how to shift to the contrary qualities… Let, then, a prince act in such a manner as to conquer and maintain his estate, and the means will always be judged honorable, and they will be praised by everyone – since the crowd is always going to be taken in by appearances and results, and in the world there is no one but the crowd…” Aristotle: “There are some actions and emotions whose very names connote baseness, e.g., spite, shamelessness, envy; and among actions, adultery, theft, and murder. These and similar emotions and actions imply by their very names that they are bad... It is, therefore, impossible ever to do right in performing them: to perform them is always wrong.” 7.4 Questions: Ethics of the Renaissance: Machiavelli vs. Aristotle Part One: What is explicitly stated? What is implicitly suggested? Explain reasoning. What message is each author sending? How do you know? In what ways do Machiavelli’s ethics depart from the ethical thought of Aristotle? What are the ethical implications of Machiavelli’s line of reasoning? Part Two: To some Machiavelli is a conscious preacher of evil and a diabolic figure in the world of politics. To others, including some political scientists, he is admired as a tough-­‐minded realist and a pioneer of value-­‐free political science. What is your opinion? Using examples from any of today’s handouts make an ethical judgment about Machiavelli’s ideology. (1-­‐2 paragraphs) Name: _______________
CHY4U
Unit Test - The Renaissance
/50
Multiple Choice:
Please circle the correct answer.
/10 (Knowledge)
1. Nicolaus Copernicus' model of the universe was referred to as:
a) Geocentric
b) Heliocentric
c) Geometric
d) Heterogeneous
2. Who painted the birth of Venus?
a) Leonardo Da Vinci
b) Sandro Botticelli
c) Donato Donatello
d) Thomas Moore
3. What form of religion developed in the North of Italy?
a) Atheism
b) Protestantism
c) Christian Humanism
d) Evangelism
4. Which one of the following sections is not in Machiavelli's "The Prince"?
a) The types of armies
b) The character and behaviour of the king
c) The types of principalities
d) Italy's political situation
5. Who posed the question "whether it is better to be loved than feared or feared than
loved"?
a) Machiavelli
b) Thomas Moore
c) Nicolaus Copernicus
d) King Henry VIII
6. Which of the Davids beat Goliath in battle?
a) Michelangelo's
b) Da Vinci's
c) Donatello's
d) Machiavelli's
7. A "commissioner" was responsible for _____ an artist.
a) sponsoring
b) financing
c) supporting
d) all of the above
8. What was the name of the first major printed book?
a) Machiavelli's The Prince
b) Gutenberg's Bible
c) Copernicus' The Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres
d) Moore's Utopia
9. Which influential family acted as patrons of the art in Florence?
a) The Medici Family
b) The Nuclear Family
c) The Sforza Family
d) The Borgia Family
10. What was the name given to the middle class families?
a) Patriciate
b) Nuclear
c) Popolo Grosso
d) Ciompi
Short answer:
Answer four of the following short answer questions. Please indicate which questions you
have chosen to answer.
/20 (Thinking/Communication)
1. Did women have a Renaissance?
2. Determine if the Roman Catholic Church posed as a threat to the development of the
Renaissance.
3. Define the ideal "Renaissance Man".
4. Who was Machiavelli and briefly describe his ideology regarding state leadership.
5. Discuss one to two social/cultural/ideological changes that took place as a result of the
printing press.
Essay:
Answer one of the following essay questions. Please indicate which question you have
chosen to answer.
/20 (Application)
1. Compare the Renaissance society with contemporary society in terms of the social and
political structure. What major similarities and differences can be discerned? List at least
three ideas.
2. “In 1997, Gutenberg's invention was chosen as the most important of the second
millennium by Time-Life Magazine. Two years later, the A&E Network ranked
Gutenberg the most influential person of the second millennium on their "Biographies of
the Millennium" countdown.”
Reflecting on the factors that help determine historical significance, state whether or not
you agree with level of significance attributed to Gutenberg in this quote. Be sure to
address the variety, intensity and breadth of social and ideological change to support your
argument